Montana Receives $50 Million Grant to Boost Literacy Education

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - The Montana Office of Public Instruction just released the 2023-2024 Student Assessment Scores for Math and Reading.

Reading proficiency for grades 3-8 was 44.2 percent for 2023-2024.

With those numbers in mind, here’s another; $50 million.

OPI Superintendent Elsie Arntzen on a $50 Million Literacy Grant

I spoke with OPI Superintendent Elsie Arntzen this week about $50 million to Montana for the competitive Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant.

“We received a 50 million grant for five years. It parallels really nicely to the early literacy opportunity at the legislature gave us in the 2023 Montana legislative session, and we’re very pleased that they're recognizing literacy in K-12, not just for early literacy.”

Arntzen said a vital partnership with the Montana University System is part of the emphasis on increasing reading skills.

Arntzen said the Science of Reading Will be Part of the Funding

“The Science of reading is being discussed,” she said. “We've got our new reading standards that are working through the university system as well because we want Montana teachers to be able to teach reading, and in order to do that, it's a partnership with our university system.”

Arntzen emphasized the focus on literacy that will continue from elementary school through college.

“Having a literacy leadership network across our state with all of our teachers that teach reading in those grades is very important that early literacy, but let's make sure that our graduates, when they do graduate college, that that investment in public education in reading and writing has been emphasized,” she said.

Districts That are Struggling Will Receive Necessary Funding

Arntzen said school districts that are struggling with literacy education will receive necessary funding for help with reading proficiency.

“We're looking at school districts right now,” she said. “I have over 400 of them, so we're looking at districts that are eligible, where their reading scores need to be improved, where they have willing administration, and their school boards want to do this, because a five year relationship is a long period of time.”

The state will receive $10 million per year for the next five years as part the competitive Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Montana ranks 15^th in the nation for reading proficiency, with New Jersey ranked first.